StarClan's forest: The Prophecy
by thornwing
Summary: Read inside for summary!
1. Prologue

**StarClan's forest**

**THUNDERCLAN**

**Leader** – Duskstar – a dark gray tom with blue eyes

**Deputy** – Moorstorm – brown she-cat with amber eyes; black and light brown stripes.

**Medicine cat** –Highleg – black tom with strangely tall legs, hazel eyes

**APPRENTICE, Sparrowpaw**

**Warriors:**

Heartmark – Tabby she-cat with caramel fur, a single brown heart-shaped spot on her back. Green eyes.

**APPRENTICE, Speedpaw**

Thickfur – White tom with thick fur, hazel eyes.

Dreameye – Gray she-cat with blue-purple eyes.

Softwhisker – Ginger tom with green eyes.

**APPRENTICE, Thornpaw**

Coalfoot – Light brown tom with pitch-black paws. Yellow eyes.

Coraltail – Tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes.

Thistleclaw – Dark tabby tom.

Duskfur – Black she-cat with dark gray stripes.

**APPRENTICE, Twilightpaw**

**Queens:**

Downypelt – soft tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes.

(Mother of Specklekit, Sparrowpaw, Speedpaw and Dawnkit)

Clawtail – light orange tabby she-cat with pale green eyes.

(Mother of Thickfur and Softwhisker)

**Apprentices:**

Sparrowpaw – Blue-gray she-cat with darker blue-gray stripes. Sparrow shaped mark on her forehead. Steel blue eyes, seemingly back at night.

Speedpaw – Black tom with ginger muzzle, edge tinged with silver.

Thornpaw: Orange-red she-cat with black paws, tail-tip and left ear. Bright green eyes.

Twilightpaw – dark gray tom with black tail. Silver ears.

**Elders:**

Seapelt – light gray she-cat, pale green-blue eyes.

(Retired Queen: mother of Moorstorm and Thornpaw)

Tigerstripe: Orange tom with black stripes.

(Retired Deputy)

Blindeye: ginger tom with blue eyes

(Early retired Warrior, blind)

**WINDCLAN**

**Leader – **Redstar – Brown she-cat with red paws and muzzle with amber eyes.

**APPRENTICE, Longpaw**

**Deputy – **Toothfang – Tabby tom with large teeth, green eyes

**Medicine cat – **Rockfur – Gray tom with orange eyes

**Warriors:**

Meadowstripe: Golden tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Strangetail: Gray tabby tom with a crooked tail. Amber eyes.

Birdfeather – calm brown tabby with light-brown stripes around her flank; white underbelly. Blue eyes.

**APPRENTICE, Soarpaw**

Peacepelt – white tom with amber eyes

Dapplefur – dappled brown and black she-cat with orange-amber eyes.

**APPRENTICE, Lightpaw**

Roundfoot – big bracken tabby tom with a round paw. Hazel eyes

Broadface – gray tom with blue eyes, with a broad face.

Largeclaw – strong brown tom with rather large claws, brown eyes specked with gold.

Lostfang – short, wiry tabby she-cat with a lost tooth.

**Queens:**

Flowermist – tawny she-cat with blue eyes

(Mother of Ivykit, Treekit, Deepkit and Gorsekit)

Mousetail – black and ginger she-cat with green eyes

(Mother of Leopardkit, Lightpaw, Soarpaw and Meadowstripe)

Floraltail: spotted gray she-cat with amber eyes

(Expecting kits)

**Apprentices:**

Longpaw – Black tom with long muzzle, gray eyes

Soarpaw – fast white she-cat with green eyes

Lightpaw – light gold tabby tom

**Elders:**

Noeye – tabby tom born blind in one eye

Tailfur – brown she-cat with blue eyes

**RIVERCLAN**

**Leader – **Strikestar – a wiry black tom with blue eyes

**Deputy – **Dewtear – brown tom with green eyes

**Medicine cat – **Moontail - white-silver she-cat with blue eyes

**APPRENTICE, Lovepool **

**Warriors:**

Dirtpelt – dirty brown tom with amber eyes

Freetail – honey-colored she-cat with blue eyes

**APPRENTICE, Flightpaw**

Tawnyspots – black tom with tawny-gold spots, amber eyes

Battleclaw – bracken colored tom with green eyes

Spottedcloud – white she-cat with black spots and green eyes specked with gold

**APPRENTICE, Surrealpaw**

Hardfang – dark tabby she-cat with one tooth larger than the rest and black-amber eyes

Reedwater – black-blue tom with navy blue eyes

**APPRENTICE, Forgivenpaw**

Mudpelt – brown tabby tom with gold eyes

Steelriver – black tom striped in tawny with green eyes

**Queens:**

Daisyflower – light brown she-cat with amber eyes

(Mother of Strikestar, Thistlekit, Mudpelt)

Licoricebush – black she-cat with brown eyes

(Mother of Steelriver, Treekit, Bushkit and Forgivenpaw)

**Aprentices:**

Lovepool – ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes

Flightpaw – gray speckled tom with blue eyes

Surrealpaw – tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

Forgivenpaw – light ginger she-cat with surprisingly bright yellow eyes

**Elders:**

Brightlake – light gray she-cat with green eyes

Rushwing – black tom with orange eyes

**SHADOWCLAN**

**Leader – **Shootingstar - light brown tabby tom

**APPRENTICE, Ferrowpaw**

**Deputy – **Fangclaw – tawny she-cat with gold stripes and long fur. Amber eyes

**Medicine cat **– Starfire - ginger and white she-cat with blue eyes

**WARRIORS**

Heavysmirk – thickset brown tabby tom with red-amber eyes

Mapleleaf – tortoiseshell she-cat with tawny eyes. Spots shaped like leaves.

**APPRENTICE, Brownpaw**

Ironleg – Black tom with silver leg. Blue eyes

Stubbornclaw – difficult tawny colored tom with amber eyes

Loudfang – black tom striped with light brown. Pale orange eyes

Darkbrook – white tom with black muzzle. Brown flecked hindquarters, yellow eyes

Acornfoot – grey she-cat with darker flecks, brown paw, and green eyes

**APPRENTICE, **Seapaw

Stormwrath – white she-cat with various shades of gray flecks, amber eyes

Jaywing – Fluffy dark brown tom with silver paws and dark red eyes

**Queens:**

Sorrowheart – tortoiseshell she-cat with gray-blue-pale green eyes

(Mother of Furkit, Circlekit (deceased) and Brownpaw)

Redpoppy – ginger she-cat with orange eyes

(Mother of Ironleg, Ferrowpaw, Yowlkit, Kingkit)

**Apprentices:**

Ferrowpaw – golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Brownpaw – White she-cat flecked with brown and black, one brown ear and hazel eyes

Seapaw – Light brown she-cat with white paws and pale turquoise eyes

**Elders:**

Cloudeye – white tom with one misted gray eye; the other orange

-----

SUMMARY

WindClan have allied with RiverClan and are planning an attack against ThunderClan. ShadowClan have also allied with RiverClan with the same plan. ThunderClan's only means of survival is in the paws of a new group of strange cats. Meanwhile, the forest's prey is acting strangely. The Clan cats are now the prey!  
What is the reason for this?

And is the only choice for all the Clans to rely on ThunderClan's help?


	2. Chapter 1

StarClan's forest

Chapter one

The moon shone brightly, reflecting on the water around the island. Stealthily feline shapes jumped onto a broad trunk and crossed over to the island. A dark gray tom crossed finally the trunk.

"_Finally_," a cat whispered scornfully, but loud enough to hear. "We're wasting _so _much moonlight."

The gray tom ignored the remark and led his warriors towards the center of the island, where they dispersed, exploring the inside of the island. The gray tom jumped onto the highest branch of the tree that overlooked the clearing. He watched as other Clans entered, frowning as the other three leaders jumped onto the lower branches, but greeting them with a friendly meow.

"Hrm," a brown she-cat with reddish paws and muzzle snorted, then nodded.

"Greetings, Duskstar," a black tom meowed unenthusiastically.

A brown tom dipped his head once. They let the Clan cats greet each other, then the gray tom, Duskstar, yowled, "Cats of all Clans!"

Immediately, the cats joined silently beneath the Great Tree for the night's Gathering. The brown tom, Shootingstar, raised his neck and meowed, loud enough, "I will begin this Gathering."

"We have a new apprentice and warrior," he mewed. "Brownpaw and Jaywing are attending this Gathering."

Duskstar saw two young cats sit together, heads held high. Shootingstar lowered his head. The brown she-cat with red paws and muzzle stood next.

"My Clan and I have no news, but for the birth of Flowermist's kits. Ivykit, Treekit, Deepkit and Gorsekit are all healthy kits."

"Redstar…" a low meow sounded from the she-cat's deputy.

"Shut up, Toothfang! Later!" Redstar hissed.

Toothfang looked meaningfully at Duskstar, who narrowed his eyes lightly.

"I will speak next," the black tom meowed. "Lovepool, one of our warriors, has decided to join into the mysteries of StarClan with joining Moontail as medicine cat apprentice."

Yowls of congratulations rose from the cats.

"That is all." Duskstar rose his neck as he meowed loudly,

"ThunderClan have a new apprentice. Her name is Thornpaw and she is attending this Gathering."

More yowls of congratulations, mostly from ThunderClan, rose from the still air.

"That is all -" began Duskstar, but the black tom, Strikestar, interrupted.

"RiverClan, WindClan and ShadowClan have news for you, Cats of ThunderClan!" Strikestar, Redstar and Shootingstar glared at Duskstar as Redstar continued, "ThunderClan have always meddled in our affaires. They are _ours _to settle. We will no longer stand for this!"

Shootingstar yowled in agreement. Strikestar joined in the yowling, and soon after every single cat in the clearing, but for ThunderClan, yowled in agreement.

"_What?_" Duskstar shrieked. "Three Clans allied against one? That's not possible!"

"It's not?" Strikestar sneered. "My dear Duskstar, it is. What you are living is a dream to use – a nightmare to you."

As the Gathering continued on in disbelief, Thornpaw watched anxiously. Why was she feeling dizzy, all of a sudden? She swayed slowly, everything swarming around her. Then, with a feeling of dread, all went black.

---

Thornpaw blinked. Where was she?

The apprentice was in a vast clearing. Four great oaks circled her. A great rock was standing gloriously in the middle. On top of the rock were a ginger tom and a gray-blue she-cat. Thornpaw stared in shock. She had heard stories of Bluestar, ThunderClan's great and noble leader. And of Firestar, once Bluestar's apprentice, warrior, then deputy.

"Greetings, Thornpaw," Bluestar meowed gently. Firestar dipped his head.

"W-where am I?" Thornpaw asked, bewildered.

"The Old Forest," Firestar murmured. "The old Gathering place, Fourtrees."

Bluestar's gaze traveled on first Firestar, then Thornpaw. Her ice-blue eyes were kind as she told Thornpaw, "Your destiny was laid by StarClan's paws. These are difficult times for both ThunderClan and the other Clans."

"We were sent a prophecy," Firestar added. "We chose the best cat to fulfill it. You."

"M-me? But I'm a new apprentice!"

"So innocent," Bluestar added, fondly.

"My great-great-great-great-great-great-great grand-daughter," Firestar sighed. "You will do well one day. That day is near."

The two former leaders disappeared in a ray of mist. Then, all went red. A cry of terror and war echoed through Thornpaw's ears, then a inaudible whispering.

_War of Spite versus Innocence, hunters becoming hunted. Death prevails._


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

StarClan's Forest

Thornpaw awaked suddenly. Groaning, she got up, and looked around. The Gathering was in an uproar. Rain poured and soaked her through her ginger fur. Looking up, she noticed the moon was hidden in thick clouds. A passing storm, perhaps? Or a sign from StarClan?

ShadowClan, WindClan and RainClan cats hissed and slashed at ThunderClan cats. A passing ShadowClan warrior recoiled as Thornpaw jumped up at him.

"Mess with Stubbornclaw, will you?" he hissed at her. The big tawny-colored tom grabbed her by the scruff and dragged her away. Screeching at her kidnapper, Thornpaw fought back.

Softwhisker panted from the attack. He tried to fight down a brawny RainClan tom from his back. Around him, screeching cats fought against screeching cats. Duskstar took on three WindClan warriors and sent them reeling into their territory.

"Retreat! ThunderClan, _retreat!_"

Softwhisker whirled to follow his leader.

He did not bother to call Thornpaw. She was independent enough.

Thornpaw fought all the way back to the ShadowClan camp. As Stubbornclaw dragged her, thoughts whirled about her mind. Kidnapped. Taken away from her birth Clan.

_What am I going to do? _she wondered.

To her astonishement, Stubbornclaw was the only Warrior in camp. They must have all gone to the Gathering to fight, even the Queens and kits.

"The kits! You sent them into battle!"

"Our kits are strong to fight. They are close apprentices," Stubbornclaw growled.

He pushed her into a dank den. Thorn bushes surrounded the walls and roof.

"Stay in here, _apprentice_."

Stubbornclaw watched the whole times as he dragged a barrier of thorns towards the entrance. He used it to block her only exit. He grabbed sticks and pushed them into holes in the thick rock to lock her in. Thornpaw realized with a jolt that they had been planning to capture a captive.

"Don't try to escape," Stubbornclaw hissed. He positioned himself underneath thick leaves with a den and sat.

Thornpaw thought she'd go mad, waiting around for ShadowClan to arrive. Had ThunderClan retreated? Or were they still fighting?

Then more ShadowClan Warriors appeared. Shootingstar frowned as he spotted Stubbornclaw.

"We have a prisoner?" he asked, incredulous.

"Yeah. Look for yourself."

Thornpaw heard Stubbornclaw mutter something, then she recoiled as Shootingstar's dark face appeared. His damp breath made Thornpaw want to gag.

"Ah! An apprentice, I see. Good work, Stubbornclaw." He turned to his deputy and snarled, "He does better work than y_ou, _Fangclaw. We _need _a new deputy."

Fangclaw began to snarl, then turned to Stubbornclaw and hissed.

Thornpaw watched in fascination. Shootingstar was a horrible leader. ThunderClan could easily get a few ShadowClan Warriors to join them.

But it would not be enough.

_Three Clans against one?_

It was just not right.

Softwhisker padded into ThunderClan's camp grudgingly. The medicine cat, Highleg, rushed over to Duskstar.

"What happened, today? Was the Truce broken?"

"In more ways than one." Duskstar sighed, looking worried. He explained everything to his medicine cat.

"This is bad, very bad. I have not been sent anything," the medicine cat meowed.

"You have no apprentice. Times will be difficult."

"Sparrowkit is helping me so much. She is nearing her six moons," Highleg commented. "And with what you said, just now…"

Duskstar nodded and leapt up top the Highledge.

"Let all those old enough to catch their own prey join here for a Clan meeting!"

Before the call Softwhisker was padding around. Thornpaw! That young troublemaker was always hiding from him.

"Thornpaw!" he called.

Her mother, Seapelt, lay comfortably in the clearing, underneath a large leaf. The rain had not disrupted her, but Softwhisker's call had.

"I haven't seen her since the Gathering," she told him. "Something has happened. I feel it in my bones."

Then Duskstar called.

The Clan joined their leader beneath the Highledge.

"It is time for Highleg to take on an apprentice in these dark times. As you should all know, Redstar, Strikestar and Shootingstar have allied against us. They broke the sacred Truce at this Gathering. Highleg will need an apprentice to help heal our wounded."

Highleg nodded, somberly, and turned to Sparrowkit.

"Come here," he meowed.

Sparrowkit's eyes widened in surprise, but she obeyed. Duskstar turned to the cloudy sky and meowed, "We are gathered in StarClan's sight to give this kit's apprentice name. Are you ready?"

Sparrowkit nodded.

"Sparrowkit, from this moment on you will be known as Sparrowpaw. As medicine cat apprentice, your mentor will be Highleg."

Duskstar turned to Highleg and meowed, "Highleg, you are a strong and wise medicine cat, beyond your years. I ask you to pass this onto your apprentice."

"Sparrowpaw! Highleg! Sparrowpaw! Highleg!"

The Clan's meows rang through their camp as both mentor and apprentice touched noses.

Duskstar jumped from the Highledge. Softwhisker joined him, nervous and worried.

"Softwhisker," acknowledged Duskstar.

"Thornpaw! She's gone!" the warrior cried. "Ever since the Gathering!"

"ShadowClan," Duskstar hissed. "Only they would disobey their allies."  
"What do you mean?"

"During the Gathering, while you were socializing, Redstar, Shootingstar and Strikestar were discussing in whispers. I heard, 'no prisoners' and 'no kidnapping'. Shootingstar cannot be trusted. Those fools! Redstar is struck by ambition and Strikestar power. They are ignorant."

"We must go get her! Duskstar, this is my first apprentice. She must be kept safe. Do you think she is dead?"

"No. I do not," leader soothed warrior. "They are up to something. I do not know what, but stay on guard."

"But we should send a patrol to rescue her!"

"No!" hissed Duskstar, tail lashing. "Don't you see? It could be a trap. While a patrol rescues her, ShadowClan would probably ambush us here. No."

"But surely, we can't leave her there," Duskstar's deputy, Moorstorm, mewed. She had been listening on the conversation. "She is my sister, Duskstar. Remember that."

"We will need to develop a plan. Later. Sleep, now. Tomorrow we will work everything out."

Duskstar's dismissal words annoyed both Softwhisker and Moorstorm, but the two obeyed.

---

"I'm hungry!"

Thornpaw had been in the prison for a little while. She hadn't eaten since that morning, and was now determined to make Stubbornclaw's life miserable.

"Hmm, fine," muttered Stubbornclaw. He left her for a moment. Satisfactorily she stretched.

"Here," Stubbornclaw grunted. He had brought her the smallest vole in their pile. The tawny warrior positioned himself back to his moss pile and sat.

Famished, Thornpaw began to eat. She licked the bones clean and ate almost everything _but _the bones. She made sure to make big slurping noises to annoy Stubbornclaw. Licking her lips noisily, the apprentice grinned. _He'll be complaining in three… two… one –_

"STOP EATING LIKE THAT!" Stubbornclaw yelled. "For Hel– StarClan's sake!" Her warden coughed nervously but Thornpaw ignored it. She was satisfactorily grinning when Fangclaw added, "Or I won't feed you tomorrow _or _the day after that."

She finished her meal and curled up to sleep, dreams of ThunderClan softly floating in her mind.

Sunlight drifted through the barrier of thorns that blocked Thornpaw's only exit, casting long, strange shadows. The light penetrated her eyelids harshly. Blinking, the apprentice awoke, a hard, sticky taste in her mouth. Thornpaw was stiff after the sleep for lack of a mossy nest. Stretching painfully, the ThunderClan cat thought grimly, "_If these fleabags of an excuse to StarClan don't give me a nest, I shall have to kill them_." For a moment, rage surged through her. Thoughts of herself killing ShadowClan cats made Thornpaw shiver in excitement. "_First, I'll tear Stubbornclaw to bits. Then, I'll rip Shootingstar's throat out. After that, ShadowClan will perish._"

"Good morning, _apprentice_."

The leering drawl made Thornpaw growl from deep in her throat. Shootingstar was at the door of her den, grinning mockingly back at her. Once again, the overpowering stench of his breath made Thornpaw gag. She glared at him.

"My, my," Shootingstar continued. "_Bad. _Bad, angry apprentice. _To the back of the PrisonCave! _Now or I shall have to punish you!"

He was playing with her mind. So, she would play with his power. She advanced and snarled, "As if I'll ever listen to you, _Twolegbrain_."

"S_TUBBORNCLAW!_" roared Shootingstar, "have you fed this prisoner?"

"Yes," Stubbornclaw meowed, dipping his head.

"Don't anymore. Only water. If she is a _nice, calm _kittypet -" he grinned at the bristling Thornpaw – "you may feed her half a piece of prey. But come to me first." Stubbornclaw dipped his head. Shootingstar advanced towards Thornpaw, pressed his muzzle against the barrier and said, "I'll have you, _kittypet. _You and your _kittypet _Clan!"

Howling in rage, Thornpaw raced towards him and slashed at his muzzle fiercely. Three claw marks were scored in his muzzle and bright droplets of blood oozed out. Yowling in pain and rage, Shootingstar sneered, "Cover this barrier with leaves. WindClan and RiverClan are coming. They mustn't know we disobeyed them, right, Stubbornclaw? Now get to it."

The tawny warrior obeyed. He unlocked carefully the Barrier and stepped inside.

"Do I have to claw your tongue out? If you make noise I will punish you. One of our apprentices, Brownpaw, will stay here with you to assure you are quiet," he growled.

"Brownpaw, get over here!"

A white she cat flecked with brown and black appeared. She had hazel eyes and brown ears.

"Get in, _now_."

Brownpaw obeyed hastily, narrowing her eyes at Thornpaw. "Make sure she stays silent, got it?" The ShadowClan apprentice nodded. Stubbornclaw hurried outside, locked the PrisonCave and topped leaves to hide them. Just in time, too.

Thornpaw heard a ruffle of numerous cats appear and Shootingstar's greeting.

"Welcome, Redstar and WindClan. RiverClan will be here shortly."

"What happened to your muzzle?" Redstar asked, suspiciously.

"There is a barrier of thorns near one of my favorite hunting place. I scratched my muzzle against it just before you arrived."

"Liar!" hissed Thornpaw, quietly when she saw Brownpaw narrow her eyes.

"To the back," Brownpaw hissed. Growling softly, Thornpaw disobeyed and listened.

" – RiverClan," Shootingstar meowed, "hello! Come with me with your deputies. It is time for an ElementClan meeting."

Thornpaw pricked her ears, and so did Brownpaw.

"Cats of ElementClan! Join here around us for a Clan meeting."

The cats obeyed excitedly. Meows of greeting arose sharply.

"Greetings, fellow cats," Shootingstar meowed. "We are gathered here today for plans with the ThunderClan battle. I trust we have all obeyed the 'no prisoners' rule?"

"Yes," meowed Redstar, dipping her head. "You, Strikestar?" The brown tom nodded.

"As have I," Shootingstar lied. Thornpaw almost yowled out in outrage. The fink! The mouse-brained fool! Did he think he could get away with it? No. Never, ever!

"The Battle against ThunderClan should be the next half-moon," continued Shootingstar. "This gives us a moon, seeing as it is Half-Moon today.

"But we medicine cats must make it to the Moonpool," objected Moontail.

"ThunderClan will," snapped Shootingstar. "Which _means _they would have no medicine cat nor apprentice to heal their wounds. Then, the medicine cats will go to the Moonpool as planned and kill the ThunderClan medicine cats. We must eliminate ThunderClan!"  
"Eliminate ThunderCLan? Are you _mad_?" screeched Strikestar. "Only Tigerstar has ever tried, and he has failed."

"We will learn from his mistakes," Shootingstar replied calmly. "Tigerstar did not plan carefully enough. If we plan in advance, all that will be left of ThunderClan is just a memory."

"Down with ThunderClan!" screeched Fangclaw. "Down with ThunderClan!"

Hesitating, the cats in the clearing looked at eachother. Then Dewtear continued the chant, and soon the overwhelming cry echoed through the clearing.

Brownpaw grinned satisfactorily.

"You guys are dead," she snarled. "Long live ElementClan!"

--

**Hi! Second chapter up! **

**Please review, I'll continue writing!**


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